Whether you have an old, worn out nightstand or just want to give your current one a makeover, painting is the perfect solution. Painting a nightstand is easy, affordable, and can completely transform the look of your bedroom.

Here’s one of our painted nightstands ideas to inspire you! We will transform this old nightstand into a two toned beauty that will add character and style to your bedroom. Now, let’s get started on this fun and creative DIY project!

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See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!

Painting A Nightstand

Here’s our guide on painting a nightstand and transform your old nightstand into a two-toned piece that adds character and style to your bedroom.

Materials

Tools

Instructions

First, remove any hardware to get them out of the way and clean the surface with Krud Kutter to guarantee proper adhesion of your paint.
Strip off any old paint or rough up the surface for better adhesion with a sander and sanding sheets. Use 150 grit to remove the old paint and 220 grit for scuffing up the rest of the nightstand.
Once you've sanded and cleaned up all the dust, prime your nightstand with clear shellac to seal in any remaining odors or stains and provide a smooth base for painting. Leave the drawers unprimed for staining later.
Next, mix up your own homemade chalk paint using latex paint and calcium carbonate powder. Dissolve the powder in water before combining it with the paint for a smooth glaze like consistency.
Filter the chalk paint into a paint sprayer to avoid any clogs or lumps. Then spray 3-4 coats onto the nightstand, letting each coat dry before applying the next one. More coats may be needed for lighter colors over dark wood.
For the drawers, use a dark wood stain like walnut to create contrast with the light painted nightstand. Apply a couple of coats following the wood grain, letting each coat sit for 5 minutes before wiping off the excess.
Add a unique touch to your nightstand by attaching a rustic plank wood top made from cedar planks. Stain it with the same color as the drawers.
Finally, protect your newly painted and stained nightstand with a topcoat like Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane. This will give it a beautiful shine and protect it from wear and tear.
Reattach the hardware for the finishing touch. And that's how you've transformed your nightstand with paint!

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close-up view of bedside table after the makeover

full view of bedside table after the makeover

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Not only is painting a nightstand a cost effective alternative to buying a new one, but it also allows you to add your personal touch to the piece. You can choose any color or design you want, but if you need help figuring out where to start, this makeover is for you!

When we found this old nightstand, it had this ugly camouflage paint job that had to go! If your piece has a similar finish you don’t want anymore, we have just the tips you need to tackle it and give your nightstand a fresh new look.

And like we mentioned above, we’re going for a two toned look, so if you’re curious about how to create that, we’ll guide you through the process. So keep reading to see how we turned this nightstand into a stylish and unique piece!

Supplies Used for Painting A Nightstand

Electric Screwdriver
Krud Kutter
Surfprep 3×4 Sander (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
150 Grit Sanding Sheets (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
220 Grit Sanding Sheets (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
Vacuum
Tack Cloth
Clear Shellac
Behr Latex Paint in Heavy Cream
Calcium Carbonate Powder
Paint Filter
Vonforn Paint Sprayer
Dark Walnut Wood Stain
Lint Free Cloth
Cedar Wood Planks
Hammer and Nails
Varathane Polyurethane

Prepping Before Painting a Nightstand

We began the makeover by removing the hardware using our electric screwdriver. Then, we cleaned the surface with Krud Kutter to remove any dirt or grime. It’s important to have a clean surface before painting so that the paint can adhere properly. For more helpful tips, here’s how to clean furniture before painting.

Sanding Old Paint Off

Then, we got to work sanding that old, tacky camouflage paint off the drawers. We used our Surfprep 3×4 sander and 150 grit sanding sheets to remove the old paint. Watching it come off and reveal the raw wood underneath was pretty satisfying. Here’s Is a SurfPrep sander worth It? for our honest review of this sander.

We also used 220 grit sanding sheets to scuff up the rest of the nightstand. We were okay with the old camo paint not completely removed since we planned to paint over those areas. But we made sure to sand enough so our new paint would adhere well to the old paint underneath.

After sanding, we cleaned up all the dust with a vacuum and tack cloth. Again, we need the surface to be clean before painting so that the paint can stick properly. If there is any leftover dust or particles, they can make the surface uneven and mess with the final look. Check out how to clean wood after sanding here for a more detailed guide.

Priming Nightstand Except Drawers

After sanding and cleaning the nightstand, it was time to prime the surface. We used clear shellac as our primer since it’s great at sealing in any remaining odors or stains. Plus, it gives a smooth and even base to which the paint can adhere. You can learn more about clear shellac in our best spray paint primer for wood and best primer for chalk paint posts.

We sprayed 2 coats over the nightstand, covering all surfaces except for the drawers. We planned to stain the drawers later, so we didn’t want any primer on them. Let the shellac dry completely before moving on to painting.

Spray Painting a Nightstand

For painting this nightstand, we made homemade chalk paint with Behr latex paint in Heavy Cream and calcium carbonate powder. Following our homemade chalk paint recipe, mix 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate with a bit of warm water until it’s nice and smooth, like a glaze, then pour it into 1 cup of latex paint.

Next, we used these handy paint filters and filtered the chalk paint into our Vonforn Paint Sprayer so there wouldn’t be any clogs or lumps in the paint. We love using a paint sprayer for furniture because it gives a smooth, even finish and cuts down on painting time. Here’s our honest Vonforn paint sprayer review to know how it performs from our personal experience.

We sprayed 3-4 coats on the nightstand, letting the paint dry between coats. It can take more coats when painting a light color over dark wood. Here’s how to spray paint a dresser with chalk paint for another example of applying chalk paint with a paint sprayer.

Vonforn Paint Sprayer

Country Chic Paint in Peacoat Blue

Varathane Water Based Polyurethane

Staining Nightstand Drawers

For the drawer fronts, we stained them with dark walnut wood stain to contrast them with the light colored nightstand. We applied a couple of coats of stain, going with the wood grain for a more natural look. For each coat, we let the stain sit for about 5 minutes or more to set the color in before wiping off the excess with a clean, lint free cloth.

Adding New Top

We also added a rustic plank wood top to this nightstand with cedar wood planks. We cut the wood planks to the right size, and we nailed the planks to the top. The new top adds a unique touch to the nightstand and provides a sturdy surface for items.

We stained the top with the same dark walnut stain we used on the drawer fronts. The stain adds another element of contrast with the white painted nightstand and ties in with the dark stained drawers. Plus, staining gives the top a beautiful finish and protects the wood.

Topcoating Paint and Stain

After all the painting and staining, it’s important to topcoat everything to protect it and give it a nice finish. We used Varathane Water based Polyurethane for this project because it’s a durable topcoat that will hold up against wear and tear. Plus, it gives a beautiful shine to both the painted and stained wood. Here’s our list of the best topcoat for chalk paint for options to use on chalk painted furniture.

We sprayed 3 coats of the poly topcoat all over the nightstand and drawers, covering all surfaces evenly. We let each coat dry completely before adding another one, and after the final coat dried, we reattached the old hardware to the nightstand. For more helpful tips on spraying polyurethane here’s can you use a paint sprayer for polyurethane.

See how painting a nightstand can completely transform it? You can customize it to fit your style with other colorful paint combinations or new hardware. And remember to seal and protect your finished project with a topcoat for long lasting beauty.

close-up view of painted nightstand with stained top

More Painted Furniture Makeovers

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Table of Contents

Painting A Nightstand